The letter H is a dependable letter. It usually makes the “huh” sound as in hat. This is especially the case when the letter H is not partnered with another consonant However, it is sometimes silent (as in ghost or hour).  It is also part of a number of digraphs: she, the, phonics, chicken, when […]
The Letter F is a generally reliable letter. It usually makes the “fuh” sound as in fall.  F sometimes makes the /v/ sound (as in of) The “gh” diagraph represents the /f/ sound when it follows a vowel (as in tough)  1. Present a capitol and lower case F to your child. Ask if […]
 PICTURE THIS: a family outing that’s great for all ages, affordable, and (shh!) educational too. Sound too good to be true? Not if you’ve got a digital camera and a sharp eye for letter shapes, as my family recently discovered they have. My 10-year-old, Ava, and 5-year-old, Harry, loved going on an I Spy […]
Letter X is a very unreliable letter that make the sounds:     /x/ as in x-ray     /ks/ as in six     /z/ as in xylophone 1. Present a capital and lower case X to your child. See if she knows the name of the letter and the sound it makes.  This is a tricky […]
1. Present a capital and lower case U to your child. See if she knows the name of the letter and the sound it makes.  Explain that U is one of the letters that can make different sounds. One sound it makes is the same as the name of the letter. Give examples of hard […]
The Letter Y is an unreliable letter that acts as both a consonant and a vowel. It makes a wide range of sounds including /y/ /e/ and /i/.  1. Present a capital and lower case Y to your child. See if she knows the name of the letter and the sound it makes.  Explain […]
The Letter S is a very unreliable letter that often makes sounds other than the base /s/ sound:     /s/ as in snake     /z/ as in was     /sh/ as in sheep   1. Present a capital and lower case S to your child. See if she knows the name of the letter and […]
The letter Q is an extremely reliable, but redundant, letter. It does not make its own unique sound — it makes the /kw/ sound as in queen. This makes it a difficult letter for children to sound out.  1. Present a capitol and lower case Q to your child. See if she knows the […]
